Jack



March 29, 1949. L.. D. LETERMAN JACK Filed Nov. 7, 1945 INVEN TOR..

/ /W///ld Patented Mar. 29, v 1949 UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE JACK' Leonard D. Leterman, Chicago, lll. Application November 7, 1945, Serial No. 627,213

3 Claims. 1

'Ihe present invention relates to a vehicle jack and more particularly to an improved hydraulic jack for automobiles. Y

Modern automotive vehicles, particularly passenger automobiles have changed greatly in design so that at the present time an appreciable portion of the chassis orvbody overhangs vthe axles.J At first when the design of automobiles included a certain amount of overhang of the chassis or body beyond the axle, it appeared that the solution to the problem of raising the tire or wheel from ground could best be solved by the use of a bumper jack. As however the design of modern automobiles includes evena still greater portion of overhang, it becomes necessary to make the bumper jacks excessively long because of the lever element between the pumper and the axle. .An excessively long jack results in an unstable support of the vehicle with the possibility of accidents. Other attempts to overcome this difficulty have included certain mechanical types of jacks with rotatable screw members, but such jacks generally have the disadvantage of having the screw member either exposed or else so positioned that some part of the vehicle ultimately is in such position during the raising operation that the actuating handle or crank cannot be operated properly. It, '-therefore, becomes evident that it is desirable to provide a solution from the problem of raising the axle of an automobile for tire change and repair which will provide greater security in use and which will avoid interference between the operating parts of the jack and any part of the vehicle. In accordance with the present invention this may be accomplished by providing a hydraulic jack having a weight raising piston adapted to be positioned so as to engage an axle of a vehicle. A suitable positioning control -or handle is provided for moving the jack in, under and out from the axle of the automobile. A hydraulic pump positioned some distance beyond the outer limits of the vehicle is provided for supplying the necessary power to the hydraulic weight raising piston to jack up the automobile.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved hydraulic jack arrangement for use with vehicles.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide particularly for passenger automobiles an improved hydraulic jack providing greater security and safety in use.

Other and further objects of the present invention subsequently will become apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 illustrates the application of the present invention;

l mobile II having a bumper I2 and an axle I3.

In order to permit the removal of a tire I4, a hydraulicA cylinder I5 having a weight raising piston I6 is positioned directly beneath the axle I3. The weight raising piston I6 may be provided with an adjustable saddle or head I'I. The cylinder I5 has a suitable base I8 and at one side is provided with a socket I9. A control rod or end 2| is provided for engagement with the socket I9 so that the cylinder I5 may be moved about underneath the car to properly4 position the saddle I1 for ultimate engagement with the underside of the axle I3. f

The hydraulic cylinder I5 is interconnected by a flexible conduit 22 with a hydraulic pump 23 which is associated with the hydraulic reservoir 24. In Figure 1 the hydraulic reservoir 24 and the pump 23 are mounted on the-bumper I2 by a suitable clamp or hook 25. The pump 23 is actuated by a suitable handle or lever 26.

The hydraulic cylinder I5 as may be seen from Figure 2 is mounted in a vertical position upon a supporting base I8 and contains a weight raising piston II.v The piston I6 at its lower end may be provided with a suitable packing ring or cup washer 2l. The upper portion of the cylinder I6 bears against a guide member 28 which is threaded into the cylinder I5 and which may also serve to compress a packing gland 29. The piston I6 is provided with a threaded hollow interior 3| for cooperation with a threaded stem or rod 32 which supports the head or saddle II. Normally just prior to use of the jack, the piston I6 is at its lowermost position. In order that a minimum amount of movement of the piston may be required for the raising of the vehicle, the

l head I'I is rotated so as to actuate the threaded shaft 32 and raise the head a certain distance allowing just suflicient clearance between the head or saddle I1 and the axle I3. Thereafter the weight raising piston is positioned beneath the axle so that a relatively small movement of the piston will bring the saddle I'I quickly in engagement with the axle I3. The cylinder I5 is provided with a uid passage 33 which is in communication with the iiexible fluid conduit 22. Preferably the fluid conduit 22 is of a construction having a braided metal covered outer surface so as to withstand the hydraulic pressure and also to protect the conduit against damage. The conduit 22 is provided at each end with suitable co'n- Figure 2 shows in partial cross section `cer 00 nectine nipples 34 which are threaded into suitable openings adjacent the 3 Y cylinder Il and the pumll 23. The base Il may be provided with a suitable boss 36 having the necessary threaded opening for accommodating the nipple 34 and providing -the iiuid passage 33 which communicates with the interior of the cylinder'li. The nipple 34 therefore is tightened so as to be relatively permanently connected thereto. i

The bumper I2 is'engaged by a hook or resilient retainer or clamp 2l which is connected to the outer surface of a hydraulic tluid reservoir 24 which may be provided' with a suitable iiller plug 36. A hydraulic pump 23 is in iiuid communication with the hydraulic reservoir 24. .l A suitable valve structure not shown but of conventional des'ign'as is well understood by those skilled in the art is interposed-between the cylinder of the pump 23, and the ilexible fluid conduit 22. 'Ihe handle 26 actuatesthe piston or piston rod 3'| of the pump 23 to supply fluid under pressure from the reservoir 24 to the conduit 2 2. A bypass passage and valve are provided between the uid conduit 22 and the reservoir 24. When it is desired to permit the weight raising piston `3l to be lowered, a manually operable valve member '33 is actuated to open the by-pass passage between the iluid conduit 22 and the reservoir 24 thus permitting the iluid which previously had been supplied to the inner cylinder II to return `to the reservoir 24.

Figure 3 shows one manner in which the weight raising cylinder |5 may be provided with a boss `I3 having a socket 39 which may be provided with a keyway 4|. The socket 33 and the keyway 4| are complementary to the cylindrical end 42 and the key 43 at the 'end of the rst link of -the positioning or control rod 2|. Preferably for storage purposes the control rod 2| is made ina plurality of sections. For example this control rod may have a first section 2|a which carries the cylindrical end portion 42 and the key 43 for insertion into the socket I3. The key 43 is moved all the way-through the keyway 4| and Athereafter the rod portion 42 may be Vrotated through a small angle so that the key 43 will insure retention of -the rod in position for backward movement of the hydraulic cylinder I3. The iirst section 2|a of the control rod may be jointedly connected to succeeding sections 2lb and 2Ic. Preferably the latter two sections 2|b 4 treadie 43. A manually operable v'alve member Il is provided for controlling the by-pass bctween the iiuid passage interconnecting the pump 46 and the conduit 22 so that the pressure supplied to the conduit 22 may be released to return the iiuid to the reservoir 44. I

While for the Pul'PUse of describing and illustrating the present invention certain specific embodiments have been shown in the drawing. it i; to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby since such variation in the construction and in the arrangement of the parts is contemplated as may be commensurate withthe spirit and scope of the invention set forth in Y the following claims.

This invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. A hydraulic jack for automobiles comprising a hydraulic cylinder having a weight raising piston provided with an adjustable member adapted to engage the axle of an automobile, removable folding handle means for positioning said cylinder. under said axle, a remotely positioned hydraulic fluid reservoir, a hydraulic pump located adjacent and in communication with said reservoir, a manually operable vertical lever for actuating said pump, a flexible braided metal covered fluid conduit interconnecting said Y pump and said piston cylinder, and demountable support means for securing said pump and said reservoir on the Abumper of saidfautomobile.

2. A hydraulic jack for automobiles comprising a hydraulic cylinder having a weight raising piston, an adjustable screw member mounted on said piston and adapted to engage the underside of a part of an automobile, a handle socket connected to said hydraulic cylinder, removable control handle means cooperating with said socket for positioning said cylinder under the axle, a remotely located hydraulic fluid reservoir. a remotely located hydraulic pump, clip means for supporting said reservoir beyond the chassis raising piston provided with adjustable ext'enand 2Ic are so constructed that these sections 1 may he folded and vyet for purposes of use may be locked so as to provide a single rigid unit. With this unit 2| the jack cylinder may be movedV in any direction to properly pos'ition the saddle I'l Aunder the axle I3 or to Aremove the cylinder therefrom. A

During periods of non-use the control rod or handle 2| is folded into shorter links for storage.

The flexible conduit 22 \is coiled up or may be wound about one or both of the two units. The

(handle 26 if desired may b e made'demountable for storage.

In place of mounting the reservoir y24 by a grip or hook 25-on the bumper of the automobile the reservoir may be located in the manner shown in Figure 4. In this instance a horizontal reservoir 44 is provided with a base 45 which carries a pump 46. An actuating lever 41 is provided with a treadle portion 48 for engagement by the foot. A suitable spring 43 is provided to raise the treadle 48 to itsupper position so that in order to supply iluid to the conduit 22 it is merely necessary to repeatedly step upon the 2.380.152

sion meansadapted to engage the underside of the axle of the automobile, a remotely positioned hydraulic fluid reservoir, a hydraulic pump Imounted adjacent said reservoir, a ilexible gaging means mounted on said vertical cylinder,

and a removable handle therefor. for positioning said cylinder with respect to the axle of the l automobile.

LENARD D. m'rEaMAN.

REFERENCES crrnn The vfollowing references are of record in the ille of this patent:

l UNITED s'rATEs PATENTS Number Name Date 974,988 Northam Nov. 8. i910 1,465,278 `Melchoir Aug, 21, 1923 2,086,788 Wolil July 13, 1937 David July 1o, 1945 

